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GSMA Announcement: The GSMA announced the first confirmed speakers for the Mobile World Congress Americas debuting September 12-14, 2017 at San Francisco’s Moscone Center. The GSMA also released additional details for the inaugural Americas event today, including new programs, exhibition elements, exhibitors and sponsors.

“Mobile World Congress Americas will reflect an experience truly representative of North, Central and South America, capturing many of its region- and culture-specific nuances,” said Michael O’Hara, Chief Marketing Officer, GSMA. “Mobile is an essential part of how we interact, communicate, work and play, and the event will highlight key areas intersecting with mobile, from media, content and entertainment to enterprises and brands. We are looking forward to showcasing an industry that impacts literally billions of people around the world.”

Keynotes from Global Leaders in Mobile Technology

The GSMA announced global leaders across the mobile communications industry as the first keynote speakers for Mobile World Congress Americas, including:

Ronan Dunne, Executive Vice President and Group President, Verizon Wireless

Beyond the keynote program, Mobile World Congress Americas will offer focused track sessions that address how the future of the industry is taking shape. The “Content and Media” track will explore augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) in entertainment and entertainment in the 5G world. Sessions examining artificial intelligence (AI), digital enterprise infrastructure, autonomous vehicles, and Internet of Things (IoT) platforms, services and security will be offered under the “Fourth Industrial Revolution” track. The “Consumer IoT” track will delve into cybersecurity, AI and its impact on virtual assistants and chatbots, and the retail experience. The “Network” track will address IoT connectivity and the 5G ecosystem. The conference will also highlight the mobile industry’s commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with a keynote and track sessions focusing on different aspects of the 17 SDGs, such as digital inclusion, education, and the fight against climate change, on Tuesday, September 12.

The conference will also include the “Everything Policy” track, which will consist of panel discussions with leading policymakers and industry experts focused on key wireless issues. The two-day policy track will address spectrum auctions, wireless infrastructure, 5G, IoT innovations, public safety, unmanned aerial services and more.

Executives and industry experts confirmed to speak in the track sessions include:

Launched earlier this year at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona to address the persistent gender gap in the mobile industry, the GSMA is extending the Women4Tech program to Mobile World Congress Americas. The program, which comprises a range of events and activities, prominently features the Women4Tech Summit on Wednesday, September 13, which will examine how gender diversity is changing the mobile ecosystem. The first confirmed Women4Tech keynote and session speakers include:

Edith Yeung, Partner, 500 Startups

Sabeen Ali, CEO, AngelHack

Larissa Fontaine, Global Head and Director of Apps Business Development, Google Play, Google

Erica Lockheimer, Senior Director of Engineering Growth and Leading Women In Tech, LinkedIn

Triinu Magi, co-founder and CTO, Neura

Additional Women4Tech activities include a speed coaching and networking session on Thursday, September 14, and as part of the 4 Years From Now (4YFN) program lineup, a Women4Tech Diversity Panel on Tuesday, September 12 and an interactive workshop on Thursday, September 14. The Women4Tech Tours & Experience Program will take place on Tuesday, September 12 and will feature exhibitors and industry experts that are transforming the world of technology.

4YFN Event Debuts in Americas

Mobile World Congress Americas will introduce the 4YFN Startup Event in San Francisco. After four years of success at Mobile World Congress and Mobile World Congress Shanghai, 4YFN will break into the Americas region this September, enabling startups, investors, corporations and public institutions to connect and launch new ventures together. This program will feature a startup exhibition, open-stage panel discussions and pitch sessions, and networking events designed to evolve the startup ecosystem worldwide. Soracom has come on board as Gold Sponsor of 4YFN. For more on 4YFN, visit: www.mwcamericas.com/events/4yfn/.

NEXTech Showcases Leading-Edge Technologies

After a successful launch at the 2017 Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, NEXTech is making its way to San Francisco for MWC Americas. Located in the West Hall of the Moscone Center, NEXTech is the ultimate destination for next-generation technology, with focused exhibition areas or “zones” showcasing forward-thinking companies and innovative technologies that are driving disruption across the entire mobile ecosystem. NEXTech will highlight cutting-edge technologies including VR and AR, robotics, connected and autonomous cars, and artificial intelligence. Companies in NEXTech include Samsung Electronics, who will have a significant presence alongside the VR/AR Association in the VR/AR Zone, as well as TomTom, who will be displaying their vision of the future of connected cars.

The GSMA announced several other new exhibitors for Mobile World Congress Americas, including 5G Americas, Avast, Gionee, Kore Wireless, Mobileum, Motorola Mobility, TATA Communications Transformation Services and Telit. They join previously confirmed exhibitors AT&T, Amdocs, Ericsson, Huawei, Qualcomm, Sprint, Verizon Wireless, VMWare and ZTE, among many others. For more information on the Mobile World Congress Americas exhibition, visit: www.mwcamericas.com/exhibition.

Additional Partner Programs Confirmed

The GSMA announced several new affiliate and partner programs taking place during the three-day Mobile World Congress Americas show. Complementing the Women4Tech program, public charity MKF’s Women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (WiSTEM) will hold its annual conference on September 11-12, in conjunction with Mobile World Congress Americas, offering additional content around women in the fields of science, engineering and math.

As an Affiliate Partner Program, FierceWireless will host a breakfast panel discussion on Tuesday, September 12 and on Wednesday, September 13. Topics include “Low Power Wide Area Network,” focusing on how startups are leveraging LPWA technologies to break open IoT opportunities, and “Telecom Transformation,” which will examine how 5G network technology focuses on adapting to software vs. hardware needs.

On Wednesday, September 13, 151 Advisors, a leading IoT advisory and execution firm, will present “APP-SOLUTELY IoT,” a half-day seminar where attendees will learn how to take advantage of IoT in their organizations, including building, deploying and managing secure IoT platforms and applications. On the same day, CBRS Alliance will hold a half-day session on their vision to enable in-building and outdoor coverage and capacity expansion at massive scale using LTE-based solutions and shared spectrum.

The GSMA represents the interests of mobile operators worldwide, uniting nearly 800 operators with almost 300 companies in the broader mobile ecosystem, including handset and device makers, software companies, equipment providers and internet companies, as well as organisations in adjacent industry sectors. The GSMA also produces industry-leading events such as Mobile World Congress, Mobile World Congress Shanghai, Mobile World Congress Americas and the Mobile 360 Series of conferences.

For more information, please visit the GSMA corporate website at www.gsma.com. Follow the GSMA on Twitter: @GSMA.

About CTIA

CTIA® (www.ctia.org) represents the U.S. wireless communications industry and the companies throughout the mobile ecosystem that enable Americans to lead a 21st century connected life. The association’s members include wireless carriers, device manufacturers, suppliers as well as apps and content companies. CTIA vigorously advocates at all levels of government for policies that foster continued wireless innovation and investment. The association also coordinates the industry’s voluntary best practices, hosts educational events that promote the wireless industry and co-produces the industry’s leading wireless tradeshow. CTIA was founded in 1984 and is based in Washington, D.C.

VRJournal is a leading technology media property dedicated to covering the emerging and rapidly evolving world of virtual reality, reviewing new solutions, giving reliable and actionable tips and breaking important technology news.